Step families

Step families can be an amazing thing. I know this isn't the case for everybody [sorry if that happens to be you] but I would be completely and utterly lost without mine!

The only dad I have ever truly gotten to know was my step dad. As I've discussed in a previous post I lost my father at the age of 5 which is also when this great guy entered my mom's life, and obviously ours. *side note: my mom and dad divorced when i was 3 so less weird that i lose one dad and start the process of gaining another in the same year*

Bob has always been embracing of us. Not only has Bob always accepted us but his family treated us as their own pretty much immediately. It's unfortunate my mom and step dad divorced when I was 15 but everything happens for a reason. I disconnected from this father figure during the time of divorce and the couple of years following. My mom kept him up to date on me after I moved away for college but him and I didn't. After the passing of my mom we reconnected. I still remember making that phone call to him [vividly] telling him the news of my mom. He was at her house to be with my brother as soon as we hung up the phone and I'm so grateful for him.

A step family relationship to me has the potential to run just as deep if not deeper than a blood relationship. I have so much love for this extended family that anybody who hasn't experienced can't possibly understand. It's very different than the obligatory love you have with blood family. And there's an extra set of overwhelming fullness knowing that those people are involved in your life not because of familial obligation, but because they truly care and love you without all that extra stuff. My step family has absolutely no obligation to me or my siblings. My mother wasn't even married to the family when she passed. Which is usually when most ties of communication in a step family get cut off. Not in mine.

I would call my Grandma in that family while pregnant often to talk and ask questions. I was having a hard time connecting with other family members during that time. One's that were blood related to me but I felt were putting unnecessary pressures on me to do certain things with my life. I am so thankful to have had that family to turn to in those moments. A family that has never passed judgement on me even if I was doing something or living my life a way that I'm sure I would have done differently. I was never criticized. Only loved and encouraged.

My step father will be Viktor's "papa" or "grandpa" and I'm so thankful they each have that. My step father will be the man that gives me away when I get married. No relationship is perfect but I sure did get lucky to have someone that cares so much for me in my corner to support me and let me cry to him when life gets stressful or other's hurt my feelings.

Sorry for the rambling sappiness... An invitation in the mail from Bob's parents to their anniversary party sparked it. They added a little note to Vik and saying they were aware we couldn't make it but just wanted us to feel included. So now I'm working hard trying to come up with a gift to surprise them with that's sweet and sentimental since we can't be there.